Fluid drainage means for washing and rinsing machines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1 GMM-0444154 nrro/e/vfy May 23, 1950 c. HlRscH FLUID DRAINAGE MEANS FOR WASHING AND RINSING MACHINES Filed July 29, 1944 May 23, 1950 c. HlRscH FLUID DRAINAGE MEANS FOR WASHING AND RINsING uAcHINEs 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1944 45 7 l 4l INVENTOR.

Imi/5 Hija/v Patented May 23, 1950 FLUID DRAINAGE MEANS FOB WASHING AND BINSING MACHINES Charles Hirsch, South Bend, Ind., assigner to American Wheelabrator as Equipment Corpora.-

tion, a corporation of Delaware Application lill! 29, 1944, Serial No. 547,167

l relat to cleaning machines in the lndustry for the cleaning of metal.

The invention of the type used chine so that a dilution of the washing liquid by the rinsing liquid at the time of change-over from the washing to the rinsing operation is prevented.

while the machine E in operation. devices further prevent the washing mechanism from being brought into operation while the cleaning chamber is open.

The invention further provides numerous feasmall parts such as metal castings, machined parts and the like.

-These and furthe features, advantages, and details of the invenon will appear more fully from the detailed description which follows accompanied by drawings, showing, for purely illustrative machines and structure embodying the present invention.

Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, the invention iiself, its objects and advantages, and the manner in which it may be carried out may be better understood by referring tothe following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming 9, part hereof. in which Fig. 1 ls a side elevational view, partly in section, of a washing and rinsing machine;

Fig. 2 is an elevational front view, partly in section, of the machine shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings accompanying kand forming part of this description the invention is explained by reference to specic structure and it will be understood that the details may be modied in various respects without departm-e from the broad aspects of the invention.

The safety and rinsing 2 Claims. (CI. 134-96) Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings am! the specication.

The machine shown in Figs. 1 and 2 consists generally of cleaning unit A and a tank imit B. The units may be made integral or separate and interchangeable in order to permit the use of various types of cleaning unit with the same form of tank unit, as desired. The cleaning lmit A comprises a front wail Il,alde walls I2 and I3, a top wall Il, and a hopper-shaped bottom I5. 'Ihe walls enclose a. cleaning chamber I i which is accessible from the outside through a. vertically slidable door I'I in the Irmt wall If. The interior o1' the cleaning chamber Ii contains suitable mechanism for supporting the parts to be cleaned, in the illustrated embodiment an endless tumbling belt or conveyor I6' trained arolmd rollers I8, I9 and 2li and guided by an appropriate guide member 2I to form a trough 22 in which the parts to be cleaned may be placed. The tumbling belt is normally driven in the direction of the arrow 23, power being applied to the driven shaft 2l of the roller Il through a chain 25, reduction gear 2l, and a belt 2l from a motor 28.

Washing or rinsing liquid is directed into the space of the trough 22 from a series of nomles 29 arranged inspray heads '3l and 3|. Spray head 30 is supplied with liquid from a main supply valve 32 through a conduit 33. 'I'he spray head 3| is supplied with liquid irough a conduit 34 in which a valve 3l is arranged permitting adjustment of the Strength of the jets issued from the lower spray head 3l.

The tumbling belt Il is composed of links or mesh permitting the jets issued from-the lower spray head 3| to pass through the belt and reach the parts placed in the trough 22. Liquid issued from the upper spray head 3l drains through the mesh or links of the belt and collects in the hopper shaped bottom I5 provided with a drain IJOrt 36.

The tank unit B comprises a front wall 31. side walls 38 and 39, a back wall Ill and a bottom 4I forming a tank on a base I2.

The bottom wall 4I of the tank slopes towards a, flush port 43 through which the tank may be ushed. A conduit M extends from the port 43 and leads to the sewer or other point of liquid disposal. The conduit Il is normally closed by a ush valve 45.

A suction port 46 is arranged in the side wall 39. of the tank. Its entrance ls guarded hva screened container or badrel; l1 to prevent impurities from entering the suction port. The conescapan tainerll extendswithitsulmeredgellabove the normal liquid level indicated at Fromthe suctonportaconduitilleadsto the intake 5I of a pump 52 driven by a moto; 53. Thepumphasadischargeiltowhichisoonnected a supply conduit 55 for washing liquid. 'l'he supply conduit leads to a three-way valve 56 having a movable valve member il.

A supply conduit 5I for rinsing liquid ako leads tothe three-wayvalve 5l which, dependingon the positionof the movable valve member 51, admits either washing liquid from the supply conduit 55 or rinsing liquid from the supply conduit 5I to the main supply valve 32.

Liquidiiowingtromthedrainport strikes a movable channel-shaped shed plate 5! mounted onatiltshaitil. Theiiltshaitlismounted inbearings I and Zinthesldewalls 38 and 3! of the tank unit, respectively. The shaft permits tilting oi the shed plate into two different positions in order to direct the liquid into the space in the tank containing washing liquid or into a compartment for rinsing liquid.

In the position shown in Fig. l, the liquid is directed by the shed plate 59 into a strainer basket i3 having walls of wire mesh. The strainer basket 63 rests on tracks of angle iron, one track being visible in Fig. l at 64. The tracks are securedtothetankstructureandpermitremoval of the strainer basket G3 from the tank for cleaning. Thestrainerbasketrmonthetmckilon rollers i5 and may be removed from the interior ofthetank throughadoor III inthetankunitB. A second strainer basket Si is releasably connectedtotheilrstbasket byahook $1 andmaybe moved into the place of basket I3 to strain the washing liquid while basket i3 is removed from the machine for cleaning. After the cleaning basket 63 is putbackonthetrackatt ishook'ed tobasket i6 andbothbaskets aremovedintothe position shown in Fig. l.

Thelevelofthewashingliquidinthetankis determinedbyanupperedgelofacompartment or trough i! extending along the front wall Ilandthesidewall 3l andsloplngtowards a discharge port 1l. The discharge port 'Il is connectedtothedischargeconduitllhyaduct 1| permitting excess of washing liquid to be drainedoilandtheproperliquidleveltobemamtained in the tank. The shed plate 5! may be moved into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 by tilting of the shaft il. In the tilted p0- sition liquid is discharged into the trough i! whence it is drained olf to a point of liquid disposal in the manner hereinbefore described.

The tilting of the shed plate 59 with its tilt shaft 6l is done manually by operating a lever 12 actuating the tilt shalt il through an appropriate mechanism. The mechanism comprises an operating shaft 13 secured to the valve member 56. A lever 15 is connected to the operating shaft 13 and has connected thereto one end of a connecting rod 1i. The other end oi' the connecting rod i6 is forked as at il. A pin ll extends through the forked end l'l and is movable in a curved slot 'i9 of a cam member or sector 8l! secured to the tilt shaft 60.

A releasable detent is provided in the cam member or sector 8|! and comprises a catch pin 8| acted upon by a helical spring 82. The spring is held in the cam member by a set screw t3 and permits the catch pin 8i to be forced out of the path of the pin 18 if a suillcient force is exerted to compress the spring 82. The purpose of the releasable detent mechanism will become more apparent from the description of the operation of the machine which follows further below. The operating mechanism connecting the tilt shaft Il with the operating shaft I3 and the handle Il provides an operative interconnection of the shed plate 5! and the three-way valve $8 such, that liquid owing from the cleaningchamber is directed into the tank for filtering and reuse while the three-way valve 5I is in a position admitting washing liquid to the spray heads, and that the liquid is directed into the trough i! and drained when the three-way valve is in a position to admit rinsing liquid to the spray head.

The main supply valve 32 has an operating shaft Il connected to it. A hand lever l5 is secured to the operating shaft M by a nut I6. The operating shaft Il is supported in a bracket t1 secured to the front wall II of the cleaning unit.

The hand lever is double-armed and has an elongated slot Il therein engaging a pin l! and a push bar SI. The push bar 9| is slidably supported in the bracket Il at 8| and 92 and coopcrates with a tiltable latch member $3. The latch member 93 is pivotally mounted at SI in such manner that its own weight causes it to tilt into the position shown in dotted lines in Pig. 2 if the member is free to do so after retraction of the push bar Il. The latch member has an end surface l5 adapted to abut and block the end of the push bar 90 if the latch member is in the position indicated in dotted lines. The other end of the latch member has projections $6 and 91 dening a space therebetween into which the end of a locking member 98 lits. The locking member 88 is secured to the sliding door l'l by bolts $9.

In the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2 the door I 3 is firmly locked in its closed position by the locking mechanism, the locking member 9| being held between the projections $6 and 91 of the latch member 93 which, in turn, is prevented from turning by the push bar SII. In this position the main supply valve operated by the lever 85 is open and washing and rinsing liquid is being discharged into the cleaning chamber.

The door I'l can only be opened after shutting oil.' the supply of liquid by moving the lever O5 of the supply valve into the position shown in dotted lines- In this position the push bar is retracted suiliciently to recede from underneath the tiltable latch member which will then move into the position shown in dotted lines if the door Il is open. 'Ihe latch member tilts when the door is opened and remains in the tilted position owing to its own unbalance. In the tilted position it blocks the push bar Sil and prevents an opening of the main suppb' valve 32 as long as the door is open. When the door is moved toward its closed position the locking member $8 strikes the projection 91 of the tiltable latch member unblocking the push bar Sil and permitting free movement of the valve lever 85 into the position in which the valve is open. As the valve lever I5 is moved towards its open position the push bar S0 moves underneath the end of the tiltable latch member 93 locking the door in its closed position.

The door I1 is provided with a bracket |00 near its upper edge having a pin 1M therein movable in an elongated slot |02 in one end of a rod IN. The other end of the rod is pivotally connected at l to a chute IIS. The chute |05 is hingedly secured at IUS to the front l l of the cleaning unit.

The door Il may be moved in a vertical direction by a. handle 101 secured to the door. As the door is being moved upwardly towards its open position the pin I0! travels in the elongated slot |02 of the rod |03 until it reaches the upper end of the slot. The rod then moves with the door causing the chute to tilt and assume the position shown in dotted lines for the discharge of contents from the cleaning chamber I8.

Theoperation of the machine is as follows: Parts' to be cleaned are placed in the trough 22 through the open door |1. The door is then closed causing the locking member 98 near the lower right hand corner oi the door to engage the rotatable latch member 93, moving the mem- -ber into a position in which it will unblock the push bar 90 of the hand lever 85 which operates the main supply valve.

The lever 12 operating the three-way valve 58 is then moved into a position in which the supply conduit 55 for washing liquid is connected to the main supply valve 32 and in which the shed plate 59 is so tilted as to discharge liquid into the strainer' basket 63. The tumbling belt I6' is then started in the direction of the arrow 23 causing the parts in the trough 22 to be carried upwardly to a point where they will tumble down into the trough under the influence of gravity thus causing all surfaces of the parts to become exposed ,to the action of the Washing and rinsing liquids. y

Washing liquid is admitted to the spray heads by opening the main supply valve 32 by swinging the hand lever 85 into the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2. The spray heads 29 and 3| now discharge strong jets of washing liquid against the tumbling parts both from above and from below. The lower spray head 3| serves a triple purpose: It sprays the parts in the trough 2`2 through the mesh of the belt I6', it cleans the belt proper as it passes over the spray head, and thirdly it loosens up the parts in the trough. The jets of liquid may be adjusted in strength at the valve 35 to obtain a jet pressure not quite enough' `the trough, thereby facilitating the removal oi' impurities.

At the end of the washing period the lever 12 operating the three-way valve 56 is turned to admit rinsing liquid to the spray head. The actuation of the lever 12, in addition to operating the three-way valve 56, causes the connecting rod 16 to tilt the shed plate 59, the pin 18 being releasably held at this time at the end of the curved slot 19. The movement ofthe lever 12 into the rinsing position causes the shed plate to tilt simultaneously into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 so that rinsing liquid about to issue from the spray heads will not ilow into the tank containingwashing liquid and dilute the washing liquid but will ow into the compartment or trough 69 whence it is drained into the sewer or other point of liquid disposal. Since the stroke of the connecting rod 16 is larger than the movement of the point at which the cam member or sector 80 is engaged by the pin 18 the pin will be I forced past the releasable catch pin 8| and travel in the curved slot 19 towards its other end.

If the lever 12 is turned to change from rinsing liquid to washing liquid, the three-way valve is actuated immediately but the shed plate is tilted only with a certain amount of delay caused by the movement of the pin 18 in the curved slot 19 until it reaches the releasable detent 8|. This delayed actuation of the shed plate insures complete drainage of all rinsing liquid into the discharge trough 69 before the shed plate 59 moves into the position in which liquid is directed into the tank for washing liquid.

At the end of the washing and rinsing periods the flow of liquid is stopped yby turning of! the main supply valve 32. The tumbling of the parts may then be continued for some time to rid the parts from liquid'. The drying is aided very eectively by thev tumbling of the parts causing the parts to be turned over continuously and `drops of liquid to be shaken oil.l At the endof the drying period the belt i6 is stopped and the door opened which is possible because the main supply valve is in its closed position permitting tilting of the latch member 93. The opening movement of the door causes the discharge chute |05 to move into the lines vin Fig. 1.

The parts may then be discharged 'from the trough shaped portion 22 ofthe belt by driving the belt in the opposite direction causing the parts to clirb over the roller 20 and slide down the chute |05 into a receptacle. f'

If an appreciable amount of impurities has collected in the strainer basket 63, the,V basket may be removed through the door |08 in the tank unit B for cleaning while the strainer basket 63 ls removed from the machine, the second basket 66 takes its place, thus making itr 4unnecessary to interrupt the operation of the machine during thel cleaning of the basket 63.

Sediment which after some time collects at the bottom of the tank may be removed by opening the flush valve 45 and ushing the tank with liquid. A pressure hose may be used for this purpose or the facilities of the machine itself may be employed as follows: The lever 12 is moved positiony shown in dotted into the rinse position while the shed plate is held in the Washing position, or by manually turning the shed plate back into the washing position after the three-way Valve is moved into the rinsing. position. This is possible by overcoming the force exerted by the releasable detent 8|, the curved slot 19 being long enough to permit such movement. Rinsing liquid will then flow into the tank B.

A movement of the valve lever 12 into the washing position while the supply of iiuid is interrupted by the closed main supply valve 32 restores the original engagement of the operating segment or cam member of the shed plate and the connecting rod 16.

The delayed operation of the movable shed plate isa feature of considerable value, particularly where the washing and rinsing operations are short and the change-over from one operation to another occurs frequently.

Obviously, it is not necessary that a cleaning unit A employing a tumbling'belt be used in con nection with a tank unit B shown in Figs 1 and 2. Other forms of mechanism may be employed for exposing the parts to be cleaned to the jets of liquid, and the tank unit B may advantageously be used with any convenient form of cleaning unit. It is, therefore, not necessary that all the features of this invention be used conjointly since they may be used in various combinations with great advantage.

Obviously, the present invention is not limited to the specic embodiments herein shown and described.` Various modications, substitutions, additions, and omissions will readily occur to persons skilled in the art and do not involve any departure from the scope and spirit u of this invention.`

7 What is claimed is:

,1. A washing and rinsing machine comprising, in combination, a cleaning chamber having a drain port; spray means for a jet of liquid into said cleaning chamber; means for selectively supplying washing and rinsing liquid to said spray means; a compartment adapted to receive washing liquid; a compartment adapted to receive rinsing liquid; a movable shed plate in the path of liquid iiowing through said drain port for directing the liquid in one or the other direction to ilow into the compartments for washing and for rinsing liquid, respectively and an actuating mechanism for jointly adjusting said selectively supplying means and said shed plate, said mechanism including a sector connected to said shed plate for tilting said shed plate, said sector having an elongated aperture therein, a"

pin engaging said aperture, a yielding detent for releasably detaining said pin at one end of said elongated aperture: and means for operatively connecting said pin and said supplying means for joint movement. y

2. Al washing and rinsing machine comprising, in combination, a cleaning chamber havingk a drain port; spray nozzles in said cleaning chamber; a compartment for washing liquid a source of rinsing liquid; a vvalve for selectively. connecting said nozzles to said compartment and said source, respectively, to receive liquid therefrom; a tiltable shed plate in the path of liquid owing through said drain port for directing thev 8 liquid in one direction or the otherv to ilow into REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile of this patent: UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,670,611 Couch May 22, 1928 1,717,229 Kraeft June 11, 1929 1,738,839 McClintock Dec. 10, 1929 1,739,404 Lutolf Deo. 10,1929 2,025,592 Kelly -..,Dec. 24, 1935 2,058,083 Johnston Oct. 20, 1936 2,263,367 Peterson' Nov. 18, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number ,Country Date 564,155 Germany Nov. 1'1, 1932 

